Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-05-12
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TRAMP's STORY.

KID was DuGlcu upon tilC hlll, WIN IhO S"i
stones. Shirley and Brownie would have it
so. Not one of that brave old race was ever
laid more tenderly to rest, either, than the
nameless one.
They found his dead fingers clasped about
something beneath the breast OF his ragged
coat. It was a small black wallet, carefully
fastened around his neck by strong cord. 1t
was not opened, but put aside for the time,
and poor Rip was neatly dressed and buried
upon the HILL
Brownie grieved greatly about his death
at was all my folly" she said. Il wanted
to see the place where we plcnlckcd thaO
autumn day, just for old times sake, Robert.
I slipped out there early in the morning.
| forgot all about the new railroad that crossed
there, though was walking upon the track.
| can never forgive myself. Poor R1p to
die in that awful way, and was the cause
of it."
II don't wonder it seems terrible thing to
YOU. Brownie" said her husband. The
worst for me is when l think how frightfully
near it came to being YOU That makes me
turn cold. But, Shirley, | wonder what
crazy whim got into the poor fellows head
that was his brother-there when he was
dying, you knowF
"Robert," answered Shirley lit is time now
to open that black silk bag he wore about his
neck. have kept it. wish you to look
into it first"
She put it into his hand. The wallet con-
tanned dingy yellow leather note book, care
fully protected from damp. There was some
thing else, too, tied by black ribbon. A
sudden exclamation broke from Edgerly's
lips.
"Why, Brownie" said lie, "here is your
forget-me-not ring, my mothers ring, that L
put upon your finger the day we were en-
gagged. What could have possessed the poor
devil to keep that"
Brownie clasped the precious ring with de-
light, looked at it fondly and passed it to
Shirley.
"Isn't it quaint, pretty thing?" said she.
"There's an inscription in it, said Shirley.
eyes" said Robert. "My mother never
would tell me what it meant. I've asked her
many a time. 1t is the only thing l never
could coax her to tell me-"
Shirley read it and started to her feet.
"Read only read Rips papers" said she.
The contents of the notebook were strange
medley. The spelling was as original as the
ideas and sentences were. Preparing it had
been the labor of years. The poor soul had
, built it slowly and painfully, little at O
, time, as one might dig his way out through
, dungeon walls with his hands. Rips literary
, ! accomplishments had been matter OF pride
| to him, The book was half diary, half moral
and mental philosophy, from vagabond's
view. In it he gave such history of himself
as he knew, circumstantially laid down. All
through ran q vein Of belief that he had been
| born to better things.
Such parts of the strange conglomerate a:
I belong to this history will be laid before tn
: reader. Not always, however, in the origina
4 spelling. That would cause it to be mistakel
for the jokes of some great American humor
= ist. 1t began as follows:
JOURNAL OF A TRAMP.
/ "I don't know where was born. I dom
@ know whose SON am. There amt anything
Il ! do know mutch about. Il always knowe
that word ought to be spelled mutch, bu
Is somehow often find myself writing it much
But 1 asked Brownie Carstone, and she say
l. yes, it is mutch.T
). III remember that well, j" said Brownie. at
d been a hundred years ago, and thought
d was such fun to tell him wrong. Poor oil
Rip!"
The tramp's journal went on:
"Moll is the first remember. There wo
something else, but I've give thatup. lrecko
I dreampt it, about heaven and the angel
But l know I've got good blood in me, any
how"
The part of the history the reader is fami
lar with is here skipped. We take up Rip
story again at this point:
II found old Moll again in Chesterton.
knew her by her one eye and her caved
nose Her husband give her that. She sa!
his name was Slugger. Moll keeps hous
She hides goods that comes down Gimme
to her unbeknownst"
Then followed O record of aimless wande
ings not few. Sometimes, as long as
month or two, this outcast of humanity won
settle down and work like a civilized ma
Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, tt
vagabond spirit came upon him again, al
he would up and away like gypsy, recor
ing simply in his journal that, on such dat
49, II took notion to go on the tramp"
"a Here is something that will interest t
o,s reader:
% II took lot Of jewelry to Moll to keep sal
Moll looked over the swag. Among the b
= of brass and things was curious lookin' bl
;ie ;fo ring No sooner had old Moll got her ey
=. .o on that than she took fit. She grabbed Il
~ shoulder, and says she:
W "'Rip, whered you get that?
'' "Says I, it's none O your blessed bushes
,o. "tOh, very well,' says she, with her ba
-; ;n up like, may be knows things to your {
IA vantage, and may be l don't. May be 1
II seen that ring afore, and may be hair
Ia' May be you and that ring belonged togetl
- by rights, and may be you didn't
od "Well, says I. "a young lady give it tor
MI, cause was good lookin'.'
oN GRIP, says Mol, you lie.'
= "Not q word more would she tell. 1 '
,s+ sure she knowed something about my fol
S;s G I was always sure of that. But she '
be sulky that day.
,oo II got at her next day. a
NV "'Moll, says ], you old rat, If you'll
.le me about that ring I'll give you all the lot
tvo swag.' ...f.,t ...i .it... --..U
,mr ,,o,. "She wouldn't open her head. held u
tsd little bottle Of black stuff. That her
vas cats eye shine. +, ,.- .aa
er.n aThere,' says I, lis soinethin' ,that'll mi
un, you,happier'n New Jerusalem. I'll give
tly. that il you'll tell me- .h..a ! ~
Nth aShe grabbed for it. NO you don't s.
,ore /. Tell me about the ring first, Moll, Nc
.4 darling, Missiz Maryr 3 git,; q
of .4After while got 1t out of her. 1t wa
Gus quare story. I (. ...sEssit s ~ Jt
nan aThere was twin brothers Of us. Our fat
the was rich man and great mob. MoiIs
of band, Slugger, made his honest livin by
;een yjdipg rich peoples goods with himself.